Grant Application Controversy Diffused

A potentially fiery pre-election public hearing was quickly diffused at Monday’s Blissfield Village council meeting.

A  Blissfield resident went door-to-door, delivering flyers to Blissfield residents, notifying residents that their presence was needed for at the public hearing on the Downtown Rental Rehabilitation Grant Applications. Two weeks ago, council approved in concept a plan that would grant tax breaks to property owners who use the rental rehab grants to improve their apartments. Council’s move, according to administrator Jim Wonacott, makes it more likely that the grants, which provide up top to $35,000 per apartment, will be approved.

The Lenawee County Board of Commissioners applied for the grant on behalf of property owners Debbie Royal, wife of Village President Jae Guetschow, and Kathy Valdez. The village could not apply because the program does not allow a government body to apply for the grant on behalf of property owners who also serve within the government. (Bob Valdez, Guetschow and Royal all serve in Blissfield government.)

In flyer delivered to Blissfield residents, it was claimed that Guetschow and his wife Royal owned both buildings. “If these grants are issued, they would be counted as two of five grants these two buildings have received in the last two years while many others have received none,” the flyer stated.

Many turned out for the hearing. At the outset, President Jae Guetschow handed his gavel to President Pro-tem A. Ray Jones.

“I am going to turn over the gallery to Ray to chair this part of the meeting because of implications that I may have abused my power to sway people’s opinions,” said Guetschow said.

Robin Soff, who authors a website that has been very critical of council and the DDA, was the only person to speak against the grant applications.  

“With all due respect, these are the fourth and five grants that are being given to 131 and 133 South Lane Street in the last two years. It’s not fair. There are probably businesses who want it more. I wanted to make sure everyone knows how I feel about it,” said Soff.

Trustee Jones asked Soff to list the five grants being awarded to Debbie Royal’s buildings. Soff complied. Trustee George Brown then asked Bob and Kathy Valdez if they were the owners of 133 S. Lane St.

The Valdezes confirmed they owned the buildings. Soff suggested that the Valdezes owned the business and that Royal and Guetschow owned the building. Kathy Valdez said they bought the building from Royal on a land contract.

Little else was said about the rental rehab grant application. There was discussion about the DDA façade grants.

Brown asked the audience, in reference to Soff’s comment about other property owners being more deserving of tax breaks, if anyone in the room had applied and been denied a façade grant. No one raised a hand.

Brown stated that downtown property owners have been approached about the façade program and that they would continue to be informed about programs like façade grants and rental rehabilitation grants.

In other news from Monday’s meeting:

• LEDC CEO Jim Gartin updated council on the organization’s recent activities. Gartin businesses in Lenawee County are much busier and optimistic than they were a year ago. He said the chief challenge facing many businesses today is finding skilled workers.
• Council appointed  two new members to the DDA Board. Joining are Sue Neyrinck, owner of Blue Dragon Embroidery, and Mary Kleindienst, owner of Stone Hawk Tees. Both businesses are located at 115 W. Adrian St. Neyrink and Kleindienst serve on Blissfield Main Street promotions committee.
• The 2010 Street Tree Planting Project was awarded to James Brothers Landscape, of Brownstown, for the quoted price of $5,382. It was the only bid, and Village Administrator Jim Wonacott noted that the price has higher than last year. The village is purchasing four Zelkovs, nine Eastern Redbuds and 5 Japanese Lilacs to replace right-of-way trees that been removed over the last year. It is a village policy to replace trees that are removed from the right-of-way. Council voted 5-1 to award the contract. Trustee Brown voted against the motion.
• Council approved the a permit application that will allow Merit Network to install fiber optic cable on existing utility poles in parts of the village rights-of-way.